What terms are employed in the metadata of cultural heritage collections? Are minoritised communities represented? Is there any education and training framework providing skills and competences to address this aspect?

CHARTER Alliance is proud to partner with ENCATC, the European Network on Cultural Management and Policy, and DE-BIAS project (funded by the Digital Europe Programme), to exchange on the problem of bias in language and its role in creating power imbalances among disadvantaged communities.

Our project has analysed the impact of the digital transition for the heritage sector, identifying it as a key future challenge requiring new skills and competences. Technologies like AI and immersive experiences are transforming how we share and engage with cultural heritage, with future audiences expecting it to be accessible in digital formats. To stay relevant, heritage organisations must embrace digital transformation and strategically use these technologies to connect with their audiences. In response, CHARTER has proposed an education and training pathway, “Cultural Heritage in the Digital Environment,” targeting professionals such as archaeologists, art historians, and digital communicators who use digital tools for research and public engagement.

DE-BIAS is developing an AI-powered tool to detect and contextualise offensive terms in cultural heritage metadata, promoting respectful and inclusive language. A key component of the project involves collaboration with minoritised communities, historically under- or misrepresented in metadata. DE-BIAS has identified different forms of bias in cultural heritage collections and object descriptions, offering a framework for understanding and addressing bias through concepts like intentionality, dimensionality, and intersectionality. This framework guides strategies for bias mitigation and prevention.

Our projects unite around the critical need for a comprehensive approach to addressing bias in the cultural heritage sector in a holistic way. By equipping professionals with the right skills through education and training, and by developing innovative tools to detect and correct biased language, we can foster a more inclusive and equitable future for heritage collections.

Join us for an engaging and practical discussion that delves into how these initiatives are tackling bias head-on and learn actionable strategies for identifying and mitigating bias in your own work.

Registration is free and the full programme can be retrieved here.